The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-07-21

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hoods, intended to confirm this view,
are constantly invented and circulated
in every section Of the country, and
especially in States where movements
are being made to Danish the saloons.
| am receiving letters daily from diff
ferent States. making inquiries con-
cerning the effects and results of our
temperance laws on the financial, COM
mercial and other material interests
Of our State, and these letters all in
dicate that the work of maligning
Kansas is going on in every section Of
the country. Permit me, therefore,
to give you the real facts.
1.-THE prohibition amendment to our
constitution was adopted in the autumn
Of 1880, and the first laws to enforce
it went into effect in May, 1881. The
war to Danish the saloons was for
some years only partially successful.
The amendment had been adopted by
very meager majority, and public
sentiment in all our larger cities was
overwhelming against it. As late as
January, 1885, saloons were open in
fully thirty Of the larger cities Of
Kansas, including Topeka, the Capt.
tai of the State. But steadily and
surely the public sentiment against
them spread and intensified. The
small majority that had voted for the
amendment was reinforced first by
those laws respecting citizens who are
always willing to subordinate their
personal opinions to the majesty Of
law, and second, by an equally large
number who, observing the practical
results. following the abolition Of sa-
looms in different cities and towns, be-
came convinced that Kansas would
be more prosperous, happy, and in
all respects a better community of
people if it had not an open saloon
within its borders. So the sentiment
of Kansas against the liquor traffic has
grown and strengthened until to-day
| very much doubt whether, Of its
three hundred thousand male voters,
more than seventy-fve thousand
would, if they could, invite back and
reinstate the saloon.
Zone argument of the whisky in
terest, viz, that saloons promote the
prosperity and growth Of communi-
ties, has been answered in Kansas by
the convincing logic of facts. In 1880
the population of this State, as shown
by the census was 996,096; in March,
1886, as shown by the State census, it
was 1,406,73S, and it is now fully
1,65O,OO0. In 1880 Kansas had only
3,1O4 miles Of railroads within her
borders; on the 1st of March last the
State Board Of Assessors reported
6,2OS miles for taxation, and from 600
to 800 miles will be added to this ag-
gregate before the close Of the year.
In 1880 the assembled value of all
real and personal property of the
State aggregated only $160,S91 $3.50;
on the 1st Of March, 1886, the total
was S277,575, 1858; and for the present
fiscal year the returns thus far receiv-
ed indicate a total Of S300,000,000.
In 1880 there were 5,315 school-hous-
es, 2,914 churches, and 347 newspa-
pers in Kansas; there are now fully
$500 school-houses, $500 churches
and TOO newspapers. In 1880 only IS
towns and cities had populations in
excess of 1000 each; in 1887 more
than 200 towns have each over 1000
inhabitants; fully 25 have each over
5000, and 4 have each over 10000.
In 1880 only 8,86S,000 acres were
planted in crops; this year the area
planted exceeds 10000, 900 acres. In
1880 the value Of the farm products of
Kansas was only $84, ,521, 900; for 1886
their value was over $264,00O,O0O.
For the fiscal year Of 1880 the per-
centage of State taxation was 81 mills;
for the present fiscal year the total
percentage levied for all State purpos-
es is only A mills.
During the past two Years and a
half | have organized seventeen coun-
ties in the western section Of the State,
and census takers have been appoint
ed four other counties, leaving only
two counties remaining to be organiz-
ed. The cities and towns of Kansas,
with hardly all exception, have kept
pace in growth and prosperity with
this marvellous development of the
State. Many Of them have doubled
their population during the past year.
And it is a remarkable fact that sever
al cities and towns languished or stood
still until they abolished their saloons,
and from that date to the present
time their growth and prosperity has
equaled, and in some instances sur
passed, that Of other places with equal
natural advantages.
Summing up, the facts of the CEN
sus confute and confound those who
assert that the material prosperity Of
any community is promoted by the
presence of saloons. So far as Kansas
and all her cities and towns are con-
cerned, the reverse of this assertion is
true. The most wonderful era of
prosperity, of material, moral and in
teIlectual development, Of growth in
country. cities and towns, ever wit
messed on the American Continent,
has been illustrated in Kansas during
the six years since the temperance
amendment to our constitution was
adopted, and especially during the
two years, the period of its most ener-
getic and complete enforcement.
"Yours, very respectfully,
JOHN A. MARTIN.